Hunters Lane football coach resigns, will move to another Metro school

Veteran Richard Campbell has resigned abruptly as Hunters Lane High football coach after seven seasons.

“It became apparent to me that the administration at Hunters Lane and I could no longer co-exist,’’ Campbell said Thursday. “It was no longer fun there, and I needed a change.”

That change will land him at Whites Creek High where he will work with long-time friend Karl Lang, the principal, as well as serve on (new coach) Mose Phillips’ staff, “and do whatever he wants me to do.”

Campbell’s Hunters Lane teams have gone 25-9 over the past three seasons during which time the Warriors won two region championships and lost to only one Metro team, Whites Creek. Hunters Lane has made the playoffs in six of his seven seasons and the Warriors reached the 5A quarterfinals in 2006.

“I love my players at Hunters Lane, and I wish the best for them,” Campbell said. “But it became clear to me I needed to start doing something else.”

Campbell, 45, has served as head coach in Metro for 13 seasons and has taken 10 of those teams to the TSSAA playoffs. He has an 81-59 career record.

Prior to Hunters Lane, Campbell coached for four years at Stratford, his alma mater. He took the Spartans to the playoffs in three seasons there. Before that, he was head coach at Maplewood and made one trip to the playoffs in two seasons.

Campbell said he didn’t know whom the new Hunters Lane coach would be, but added the job may go to one of the assistants.

“I’m looking forward to going to Whites Creek,’’ he said. “Karl Lang and I have been good friends for a long time, and I know he has faith in me.”